This document provides an overview of several Eastern religions including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. It describes their ancient origins, key beliefs, scriptures, and spread. It also discusses approaches to witnessing to Theravada Buddhists by finding common ground and lifting up Jesus Christ while discipling new converts.

1. Introduction to Missiology
Ch.22 – Eastern Religions

2. Ancient Origins
 Indus River Valley – present day Pakistan
– 3000 b.c. – Dravidic peoples – dark-skinned
– spread throughout sub-continent
– 1800-1500 b.c. – Indo-Aryan invaders
speaking Sanskrit
 Yellow River Valley – 3000 b.c. thriving
culture in north China
 Cultural background for Hinduism,
Buddhism, and Confucianism

3. Hinduism
 Beliefs solidify after Indo-Aryan
invasion
 Four Vedas (Rig, Sama, Yajur,
Atharva)
 Hymns, rituals, sacred formulas,
spells
 Hindu Caste
– Brahmans: priests and teachers
– Kshatriyas: princes and warriors
– Vaisyas: merchants and artisans
– Sudras: slaves and laborers

4. 6th Century B.C. - India
 A time of spiritual ferment worldwide
 Hindu reflection surges
– Brahmanas – commentaries on the Vedas
– Upanishads – theological speculation
– Sutras – aphorisms highlighting teaching in the
Vedas and Upnaishads
– Epics – Ramayana and Mahabharata – historial
poetry
– Bhagavad Gita – “the Bible of Hinduism”
 Reformers emerge – Jain & Gautama Buddha

5. Hindu Beliefs
 Ultimate Reality is the impersonal divine:
Brahman
 There are thousands of gods who are personal
manifestations of the divine
 Reality is suffering and illusion
 Man needs release from the cycle of rebirth –
this is salvation
 Salvation is something that man must attain

6. Hindu Paths to Salvation
 Karma Marga – right action: caste,
purity,obedience, hope
 Jhana Marga – right knowledge: direct
insight into the truth
 Yoga Marga – right discipline: poise and
body control to free the spirit
 Bhakti Marga – right devotion: to a
particular god (Thugees to Kali)

7. Buddhism
 Origin in Hinduism – a form of Jhana Marga
 Buddha an historical person – son of
nobleman – deeply moved by encounter with
suffering
 Buddha became a monk and wrestled with
meaning of life
 Claimed enlightenment and began to teach

8. Teachings of Buddha
 Four noble truths (we all suffer, the cause is
desire, suffering ceases when desire ceases,
there is a way to gain this freedom)
 The noble eightfold path
1. Right views 1. Right livelihood
2. Right attitude 2. Right endeavor
3. Right speech 3. Right awareness
4. Right conduct 4. Right meditation

9. Scriptures of Buddha
 Not written down until roughly 400 years
after his death
 Called the Triptaka – “Three Baskets”
– Rules for monks’ practice
– Discussions of the Buddha and his disciple
– Interpretation and commentaries

10. Spread of Buddhism
 Became dominant in India in 3rd century
BC
 Two branches: Theravada & Mahayana
– Theravada – close to Buddhas original
teaching
– Mahayana – broadening the way to salvation
 Mahayana developed fully after entering
China

11. Chinese Buddhism
 Primarily Mahayana
 Became more accessible to average
person
 Most popular
– Pure Land – a place where people go when
they die to attain Buddhahood
– Ch’an (became Zen in Japan) based on
intense meditation

12. Confucianism
 Confucius (551-479 B.C.), Chou dynasty – a
collector and transmitter of traditions
 China is the “middle kingdom” living in
harmony between earth and heaven
 Opposite and complementary principles of
Yang and Yin, (male and female, dry and wet,
light and dark, warm and cold)
 Wu Ching – the Five Classics
 Ssu Shu – the Four Books

13. Five Principles for a Peaceful Society
 Society can be renewed by a return to past
virtues
 Five Principles
– Propriety – appropriate behavior in all situations
– Humaneness – humanity & love to others
– Filiality – respect of children for parents
– Mutuality – consideration for others
– Loyalty, especially to one’s superiors

14. Five Relationships for Stability
 Prince and subject
 Father and son
 Husband and wife
 Elder brother and younger brother
 Friend and friend

15. Confucian Ideals
 The ideal ruler who ruled under the
mandate of heaven
 More a philosophy of life than a
religion
 However – ancestor worship deeply
ingrained

16. Taoism
 Lao Tzu (600-550 B.C.)
 Tao (the way) is central. It means the
way things go, the natural course. It is the
cosmic energy of the universe that
underlies all things and determines the
right way to proceed.
 People must live in tune with the universe

17. Witnessing to Theravada
Buddhists
 No doctrine of God
 No doctrine of man – self is non-self, ego is
illusion
 No doctrine of creation, ultimate cause is
ignorance
 Sin is impersonal
 Goal of salvation is absorption into the One
 Usually combined with spiritism

18. Witnessing (con’t)
 Find common ground in our mutual
humanity
 Buddhists take time to win to Christ
 Begin with God, Gen.1:1
 Lift up Jesus Christ – attractive to
Buddhists
 Discipling is crucial for new converts
from Buddhism